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Patented Nov. 8, I898.

P. A. SPICER.

PLOW.

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Patented Nov. 8, I898. P. A. SPIGEB.

I PLOW. (Application filed May 7, 1896. Renewed Sept. 30, 1898.)

2 Sheets-$heet 2.

' No. 6l4,067.

(No Mod 0|.)

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fillllliiiiiiiiiiiii UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PRATT A. SPICER, OF MARSHALL, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALFRED M. ZIEGLER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,067, dated November 8, 1898. Application filed May 7, 1896. Renewed September so, 1898 Serial No. 692,278. on model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PRATT A. SPICER, of Marshall, county of Calhoun, State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Plows, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a plow with a light, strong, and durable plowshare and point so constructed as to be selfsharpening and to overcome the tendencyin a plow to crowd to land, whereby draft is greatly reduced, the necessity for repairs diminished, and the capacity of the plow to do difficult work increased.

In all plows as commonly constructed there is more or less suction between the furrowslice and the moldboard, caused by atmospheric pressure. The cutting edges of all shares vary widely froma right angle to the line of draft, in consequence of which the plow when drawn forward encounters the resistance presented in severing the furrowslice on this angling edge and in consequence presses very hard against the land from which the slice is being cut, thus causing great friction and increase of draft.

The plow-point as now made is the chief factor in causing plows to take the required depth of furrow, it projecting forward considerably and having its front end depressed. Constructed in this manner no plow can really be made to travel in a line of direct draft with the least possible friction. The depressed portion of the plow-point is commonly spoken of as the dip of the point, and such points must be strong to keep from bending or breaking under severe strain, and to gain the necessary strength so much metal is used that the point is made thick, which, in connection with the dip at which it is set, causes it to become blunt after but little wear. Such points cause a plow to draw hard, and increasingly so as they become blunted.

Conditions of soil are frequent where with all the dip it ispossible to use in the point the plow, even when weighted, will not keep to its work in the soil, and it is not an uncommon sight to see a plow in operation with some one riding the beam in order to make it enter the ground and throw up a furrow.

My invention now to be described overcomes the objectionable features hereinbefore set forth and at the same time provides for a plow of strong and durable construction.

My improved plow has a point and share provided with a series of cutting edges, each of which is set at substantially right angles to the line of draft, the portions of the share immediately behind each of these cutting edges constituting what is hereinafter denominated as a section. The n pper surfaces of the point and share present a series of depressions and connecting-ridges running substantially parallel to the line of draft, said depressions and ridges extending entirely across the point and share. Making the depressions in the point and share of a uniform concave and makingthe under side of the point and share convex opposite the depressions leaves the cutting edges of the sections referred to in the shape of gouges, and one edge is set a little back of the one next it toward the land side. The share and point shaped as described may be made thinner than the ordinary share and point and yet have sufficient strength for the work to be done.

The dip for my plowis put into the share next the point, and the point and share are preferably made integral; but they may be made separate.

In myimproved plow the ridges of the point and share project above the surface of the moldboard, so that the overturned part of the furrow-slice when it leaves the share is left ribbed or grooved by the said ridges, and, thus delivered to the moldboard, air enters the said grooves and is admitted between the under portion of the furrow-slice and the smooth surface of the moldboard, thus entirely preventing suction and greatly reducing friction.

In the use of my improved plow the draft is much less than with any plow known to me.

Figure 1 shows a plow containing my improvements; Fig. 2, a partial top view; Fig. 3, a left-hand side View; Fig. 4, an under side View; Fig. 5, a front end view; Fig. 6, a section through the point on the line (.13; Fig. 7, a section in the line 00 as, Fig. 6, said Fig. 7, however, showing the point and share in different pieces. Fig. 8 shows the land and fur row slices turned over.

The plow-standard or the frog A, beam B, handles C, and moldboard D are and may be of any usual shape and material, the moldboard being suitablyconnected to the standard or frog.

The landside A, suitably connected to the standard, may be of the usual shape, except that its lower edge, as at a, Figs. 4 and 7, may be curved to correspond to the shape of the land side of the plow-point.

The point E and share G may and preferably will be made integral, and a bolt may be used both in the point and share to hold them in working position; but the point may be separated from the share, as shown in Fig. 7, so this invention is not limited to the making of the point and share in one piece. The groove or depression 0 used in the point will preferably be of concave shape, while the underside of the point,back of its cutting edge e will preferably be somewhat convexed and slightly thickened, as hereinafter described, thus making the point concave-convex in cross-section, the upper side presenting a concave of substantially uniform width and depth throughout its whole length; but this invention is not in all instances limited to making the groove or depression an exact concave, as the shape of the groove might be somewhat modified and yet be within the scope of my invention.

The share G is corrugated, and its upper surface has a series of depressions g and connecting-ridges 2 between them, said ridges being substantially parallel to said concavities of both the point and share. The grooves in the share will preferably be made concave, the ridges uniting the sides of the concaves, the grooves and ridges extending entirely across the width of the shareand being substantially parallel, and also substantially of uniform depth and width.

W'hile I have shown the grooves as regular concavities, it is obvious that my invention is not in all instances limited to the exact shape so shown, as the shape of the groove in cross-section may be varied and yet be within the scope of my invention.

Turning to the under side of the share opposite the concavities, the surface is shown as convex, as at g, and opposite the ridges 2 are grooves 3, the upper and lower surfaces being thus made to coincide and produce a cutting edge of substantially uniform thickness, and it is obvious that if the shape of the upper surface were to be varied from the series of regular concavities, as shown, the shape of the under surface should also be correspondingly varied, so that it would eoincide with the upper surface to leave substantially uniform cutting edges.

In the common plow the top surface of the point and share is in alinement with the lower outer surface of the moldboard where they join, and as the earth passes from the share to the moldboard it is held to it closely by the weight of the soil, augmented by the suction or atmospheric pressure.

In my improved plow the bottoms of the grooves c and g in the point and share are substantially flush with the lower front surface of the moldboard where they join, while the ridges between said grooves extend above said moldboard.

The furrow-slice 7L when it leaves this share (see Fig. 8) is ribbed and shows grooves made by the ridged portions of the pointand share, and when delivered from the point and share onto the moldboard the air enters the grooves and is admitted between the under portions of the furrow-slice and the smooth surface of the moldboard, thus entirely preventing suction and greatly reducing friction. Furthermore, the furrow-slice h, grooved as described and relieved of the atmospheric pressure against the moldboard, is less compact and dense than it otherwise would be, and in turning its surface has a tendency to crack and break, which, added to the grooved an d ribbed face of the upturned furrow, greatly facilitates subsequent cultivation.

The point and share present a series of cutting edges, each of which is set at substantially right angles to the line of draft, said edges being so located as to be one a little back of the other from the point, thus enabling them to cut the ground when severing the furrow-slice without crowding the plow against the land side of the furrow, thereby avoiding the great friction and heavy side draft found in plows of usual construction. This series of edges are made comparatively thin and sharp, and, owing to the depressions shown being concaved on the upper side of the share and point and the under surface directly opposite the depressions being convexed, the edges present the appearance of a series of gouges, and thus I have apoint and share entirely unlike all others, with concavoconvex cutting edges of equal thickness. These are not dulled by use, but are selfsharpening, or, rather, kept sharp by it without requiring special attention, because the cutting edges of the point and share run so nearly horizontal in operation that the contact of the under side of the point and share with the furrow bottom wear their under sides to a rather flat acute bevel, and their upper sides are slightly reduced by the scouring and polishing action of the soil in passing through the grooves, and this, in connection with the greater wear spoken of on the under side of the point-and share, grinds the edges in a manner similar somewhat to the way in which beveled edged tools are ground, so that the grinding action of the soil, which has heretofore produced dullness in shares and points, in my invention, due to the novel shape, results in keeping the point and share sharp.

Ileretofore the under sides of the cutting edges of plows have all been left substantially flat. The under sides of the point and share opposite the concave grooves of its top. side have, as stated, convexed surfaces, with grooves between, presenting cutting edges substantially continuous and uni-form.

As has been heretofore stated, the plowpoint has been so constructed as to cause the plow to take the required depth of furrow; but my improved point has no dip, the under side being on a line substantially parallel with the sole of the landside of the plow.

One or more of the cutting edges of the share next to the pointas shown in Fig. 5 two of said edgesare depressed sufficiently to give my plow dip enough to plow any soil which can be plowed, at any time, even if conditions as to lack of moisture have heretofore rendered it impossible to do such work well.

In Fig. 5 the straight line y is intended to represent a horizontal plane, and it will be noticed that that line exactly meets that one of the cutting edges of the share which lies next the point; but the secondof said cutting edges is just a little bit above said line, while the third of the cutting edges of uniform thickness is located a considerable distance above the said line.

The share, instead of hindering the plow,

from going into the ground, now acts to compel it to take a suitable furrow, and, owing to the construction herein described, the center of resistance in drawing the plow forward is removed from the point, which is at one end of the cutting edge, to near the center of the cutting edge, thus making the plow center draft, and I am thus enabled to locate the beam substantially central with relation to the cutting edge; but this invention is not limited in all instances to the particular location of the beam.

The point is shorter than in the usual con struction, and having no dip is not so liable to be broken as-the usual long point.

In order to make the share and point more.

lasting, I have thickened the metal on the under side of each section, commencing near the cutting edges and tapering rearwardly therefrom, the reinforced portion also backing up and strengthening the edges, and by it the slight under bevel to the edges of share and point are produced. The thickening may be efiected by casting or by forging, according to the material used. The reinforcing metal terminates with a shoulder 4, as shown in Fig. 3, to form a pocket which receives part of the plow-standard, to which the point and share are bolted in any usual manner. The land side of the point being rounded, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, from its under side to the edge a, its shape is thus left as a somewhat irregular are or convex segment of a circle of preferably about one-eighth of its extent, the said rounded land side to the point cutting the furrow-slice from the land side of the field with a curved out, leaving it as at m, Fig. 8, and requiring less power than to make a rectangular cut. Y

By the term length as applied to the point I mean the distance between its cutting edge and the moldboard, and by the term width as applied to the share I mean the distance from its cutting edge to the moldboard.

This plow-beam in practice will be provided with a suitable colter to. cut the sod in advance of the point and share, overturning the same.

I believe myself to be the first to provide the share with dip to make the plow enter the ground and also the first to provide a share with a cutting edge, portions of which are located in difierent horizontal planes,and therefore this feature of my invention is not limited to the particular shape of share shown, and it will be obvious that this part of my invention is capable of much modification, and it may be employed with any suitable. or usual point.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ise 1.. A plow having a point concavo-convex in cross-section at its cutting edge, and extending rearwardly therefrom, substantially as described.

2. A plow having a point with its whole upper surface grooved longitudinally and uniformly from its top to its cutting edge, substantially as described.

3. A plow-point having its upper surface grooved its entire length, and having its under side convexed and a reinforcing portion of metal extending backwardly from the cutting edge upon its said convexed portion, substantially as described.

4. Aplow-pointhavingits land side rounded from its under side outwardly and upwardly, as and for the purposes described.

5. A plowshare, the upper surface of which is provided with a series of narrow ridges and wider depressions between them, said ridges and depressions extending the entire width of the plowshare, substantially as described.

6. A plowshare having its upper surface crossed by a series of concaved depressions and ridges, and having its under surface crossed by a series of grooves and convexities, substantially as described.

7. A plow-pointhaving a cutting edge, combined with a plowshare having part of its cutting edge depressed below the cutting edge of the point, substantially as described.

8. A plow-point presenting a cutting edge, combined with a share having a series of grooves in the direction of its width, and presenting a series of cutting edges, one or more of the cutting edges of the share being lower than the cutting edge of the point to thus provide for dip, substantially as described.

9. A plowshare having its upper surface provided with a series of depressions and its under surface provided with a series of ridges extending in the direction of the said depressions, substantially as described.

10. A plowshare having its upper surface provided with a series of depressions, and its under surface provided with a series of ridges extending in the direction of the said depressions and a reinforced portion upon these ridges extending backward from the cutting edge, substantially as described.

11. In a plow, the combination of a moldboard with a plowshare, the latter presenting on its upper surface a series of depressions extending from its top to its cutting edge, and having the bottoms of said depressions flush or in alinement with that part of the moldboard that abuts the share between the said ridges, substantially as described.

12. In a plow, the combination of a moldboard with a plowshare, the latter having its upper surface provided with a series of ridges and its under surface provided with grooves located symmetrically relatively to said ridges, and having its upper surface between said ridges substantially flush with the front surface of the moldboard, at the junction of the moldboard and the plowshare, substantially as described.

13. A plowshare provided at its upper side in the direction of its width with a series of ridges starting at its cutting edge, and at its under side with a series of grooves, thereby presenting in the direction of its length a cutting edge of substantially uniform thickness, substantially as described.

14. A plowshare having at its upper side in the direction of its width a series of grooves, the under side of the share having a contour symmetrical in shape with its upper side to thus present a cutting edge of substantially uniform thickness for the share, substantially as described.

15. In a plow, a moldboard, combined with a plowshare, the upper surface of which has a series of parallel grooves of uniform width and extending from its top to its cutting edge, and a series of connecting-ridges between said grooves, said ridges projecting without the plane of the surface of the moldboard where it abuts the share between said ridges,whereby the under side of the furrow-slice is left ribbed,thereby reducing friction and suction, substantially as described.

16. In a plow, the combination of a moldboard with a plowshare, the latter having its under surface provided with a series of grooves, and its upper surface provided with a series of ridges, said ridges projecting above or without the plane of the surface of the moldboard where it abuts the plowshare between the said ridges, substantially as described.

17. A plow composed of a suitable standard, a point having a cutting edge, and a share having a portion of its cutting edge depressed below the cutting edge of the point, suitable handles, and a beam located substantially central with relation to the cutting edge of the plow to thus produce a centerdraft plow, substantially as described.

18. In a plow, the combination with a moldboard, of a plowshare, the latter presenting at its edge next the moldboard a series of projections which extend above the plane of the lower end of the moldboard, to operate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PRATT A. SPICER.

\Vitnesses:

HARVEY JACKETT, CHARLES O. MILLER. 

